BNP Announces 7-Day National Mourning

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has officially declared a seven-day mourning period across the country following the death of its Chairperson and former Prime Minister, Begum Khaleda Zia. The announcement was made by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, at Evercare Hospital on Tuesday morning.

To honor the legacy of the three-time Prime Minister, the BNP has outlined the following nationwide observances for the next week. Black flags will be hoisted at the BNP central office in Naya Paltan and all regional offices across Bangladesh.

Party leaders, activists, and supporters are instructed to wear black badges. Special prayers (doa mahfil) and Quran recitations will be held at party offices to seek eternal peace for the departed soul.

Formal condolence books will be opened for the public and party members at the Naya Paltan headquarters and the Gulshan chairperson’s office.

Khaleda Zia passed away at 6:00 AM today (December 30) at the age of 80. She had been battling a series of critical health complications, including liver cirrhosis, kidney disease, and heart issues, since her admission on November 23. Her condition reached an "extremely critical" stage overnight, leading to her being placed on life support before she eventually breathed her last.

The BNP highlighted her role as the "uncompromising leader" of the 1990s anti-autocracy movement. Despite years of imprisonment and political upheaval, she remained a central figure in Bangladesh’s history, notably never losing a parliamentary seat she contested throughout her career.

While the mourning period has begun, the specific schedule for her funeral prayers (janaza) and burial site remains pending and will be communicated to the public shortly following high-level party meetings.